Halloween

I know its late, but here are highlights from our Wizard of Oz themed Halloween Celebrations! With Julianne and cousin Emilia in town, we all decided to get dressed up. Before the big day we all went to a trunk or treat and did a "practice run" of how to go trick or treating. Kate would have preferred to go to only 1 car and then stop. In her eyes she didn't need more candy and she wanted to eat her one piece right then. Here is Kate with grandma and her lollipop.

Here is Grandpa with his 2 granddaughters. Cute girls. Too bad Kate kept eating her costume.

Here is the whole crew dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz. We have the following 2 flying monkeys, 2 lollipop munchkins, 1 yellow brick road, 1 wizard, a tin man, scarecrow, toto, Wicked Witch, Glinda, and of course Dorthy.


Rusty made a fabulous lollipop munchkin. Video was even taken of him doing the lollipop guild song and dance from the movie. And believe it or not, Kate loved wearing her costume.

I didn't post a picture of myself but I can be seen in the group shot. I was a flyling monkey and wore a full fur suit the entire evening. We had a great time and I loved dressing up. It's so much more fun when you are not the only one who looks ridiculous.

Happy Birthday Kate!

Need I say more to show how blessed we've been over the past year.

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the Pumpkin Patch at Mother Nature's Farms while Julianne was here visiting. We had a great time. I was excited to show Kate all of the pumpkins. She had never seen one before and didn't really know what to do with them. She sat on them, licked them, and tried to pick them up but ended up just dropping them.


At the pumpkin patch there was a maze made out of hay. Kate did great and walked through the first part all by herself. However a bunch of big kids ran behind her and scared her so she cried until someone held her and walked through the rest of the maze.


Kate and Cousin Emilia loved sitting with grandpa on the tractor.


The girls got to decorate a mini pumpkin with foam letters and shapes. Kate didn't really get the idea.


Kate went inside her first "bounce house". She loved it! She didn't really know how to bounce inside, but enjoyed falling down and then getting back up only to fall back down again.

Cheap Family Photo

Farewell Martín

Martín, the Beta Fish, 2.5 years, of Arizona, died on Sunday, October 4, 2009 due to natural causes.

He was born (bought) in a small cup in February 2007 from Pets, Inc. Store. Martín attended school at Frye Elementary where he was the classroom pet of the Kindergarten students of Room #12. He received his name from the 24 students who took a vote to call him Martín. He never married for fear that he might eat any other Beta Fish who swam in his bowl. Martín relocated to Tempe, Arizona after his caretaker (Carianne) retired from teaching school and brought him home to live in retirement with her. He lived the last year of his life sitting atop a bookshelf overlooking a view of the living room.

Martín received a Graduation Diploma from Kindergarten, having had to stay in this grade for 2 years. He did not complete any other formal schooling.

Martín was never employed but rather spent most of his days swimming, eating, and swimming real slow so he could sleep.

Martín’s early years as a class pet were pleasant. He had many friends to play with and enjoyed playing dodge ball with them as they dropped crayons, leaves, and other small objects into his bowl without their teacher knowing. Martín taught the students about the anatomy of a fish and how to care for one. He was wise beyond his years.

While in retirement, Martín enjoyed playing hide-n-seek, floating around his plastic plant, and diving into the blue marbles of his bowl so that old food would resurface and he could eat leftovers. Martín did not however enjoy getting his fishbowl water changed. In November 2008, he took a fall while slipping out of a cup and landing face up in the kitchen sink. He spent 2 months in rehabilitation. The caregiver (Rusty) who dropped him in the sink felt very sorry for Martín and offered to buy him a new home. He accepted the bigger bowl with bright blue marbles and a bigger plant. He was truly happy.

Martín will now join his brother Spiderman (a.k.a. Undertaker–Batman) who was also a classroom pet of Kindergarten Room #12 in heaven. He leaves behind 2 caretakers who will miss him deeply and are still mourning his loss.

The viewing was held in his caretaker’s bathroom at 7:26 p.m. on October 4, 2009 and Martín was buried at 7:30 p.m. that same day.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Sea World & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

Martín was not only a fish, but a friend. Swim strong little Beta. Swim strong.